PRA 2nd Quarter Newsletter 2013 April-June 2013 | Page 4

S

wedish fashion brand H&M is reportedly
in early discussions with Filipino
mall developer SM Group to enter the
Philippines. The talks were revealed by an official
from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Should the discussions result in a formal
agreement, it would be SM’s third partnership
with international brand, following Forever 21
of the US and Uniqlo of Japan. H&M is a brand
notable for its absence from the Philippines, given
its huge success in neighbouring markets like
Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

F

The first H&M store in the Philippines would
probably open at SM Aura, SM’s new mall under
development at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
ilipino bakeshop Julie’s Bakeshop is
making its first overseas foray with a store
opening in Indonesia. ??

With 2818 stores globally, H&M aims to grow its
store network by 10 to 15 per cent annually. The
company reported a modest sales growth of five
per cent in February, which is below forecasts of
seven per cent.

Julie’s Bakeshop says it has formed a joint venture
with a Filipino-Indonesian company to open its
first store outside the Philippines in Tangerang by
the end of August. ??

(InsideRetail.Asia, 03/18/2013)

The Tangerang store would be the first of five stores
planned for Indonesia over two years. ??With 240
million inhabitants, Indonesia is a viable country
for business, says Julie’s Bakeshop. ?
? says it will offer halal-bread products in
It
Indonesia to suit the preference and taste of the
Muslim-populated country.??Julie’s Bakeshop also
plans doubling its domestic presence to 1000 over
the next five years. ??

“We’re looking at tapping more
of, number one, Mindanao, and
number two, Luzon. At present,
only seven stores are companyowned and the rest are franchises.
Julie’s aims to grow its share of
company-owned stores so they
would comprise double-digits in
the mix,” said Julie’s Franchise
Corp GM Arturo Zamora.

P

roperty developer Ayala Land has opened its 1 billion pesos retail complex in Negros Occidental.
The shopping centre called The District North Point is considered the “first large-scale, mixeduse, integrated, master-planned community in Negros”.The mall has a gross floor area of 20,968
sqm and houses more than 100 stores.
The District North Point is part of the a project called The North Point Estate which is comprised of
residential developments namely, Ayala North Point, Verdana Homes Plantazionne, Verdana Homes
Asyana, Avida Village North Point, and Amaia Scapes North Point.

“The North Point Estate is the first of its kind in Western Visayas and
the latest and most exciting destination in Negros,” said Ayala Land
senior VP Emilio Tumbucon.
(InsideRetail.Asia, 08/04/2013)

Inside Retail Asia 08/07/2013
Photo credits to www.ph ????????((?((